Golf is a sport that has been enjoyed for many years and enjoys growing popularity in recent times. As is well known, golfing involves the use of a number of different clubs when playing a course, and golfers typically will use two or more different clubs per hole. As a result, golfers generally carry a heavy set of clubs that include drivers, irons, wedges and a putter.
Caddies and golf carts may facilitate the transportation of a set of golf clubs over a course. But, a golfer who travels must still tote this large and heavy collection through airports or other travel centers. As a result, business travelers and other who wish to enjoy golfing when away from home typically transport large bulky sets of clubs with them.
Unfortunately, carrying a large set of clubs may not always be practical. For example, an airline passenger may be limited by luggage weight or the number of items allowed onboard the plane. Likewise, the ever-increasing airport security restrictions may impose other burdens on golfers that result in making the transportation of golf clubs inconvenient or perhaps even impermissible. As a result, the golfer may not choose to travel with a set of clubs and may miss the opportunity to play golf or practice swinging.
When a golfer does not play golf or have another opportunity to practice swinging, that golfer's game may suffer. Magazines and other publications discussing golf commonly report that practicing the swing is important in maintaining the golfer's abilities. In particular, publications have identified the “short game” of putting, pitching, and chipping as a part of the game that requires a significant amount of practice in order to maintain and improve one's golfing skills around the green. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide one or more golf clubs that may be easily transported for this purpose.
In attempts to provide portable golf clubs, others have devised various golf clubs that may be separated into two or more components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,565,069 is an early example of such an attempt. This patent discloses a golf club having an enlarged central portion with a threaded connector. Although separable, this club involved the use of a conspicuous sleeve in the central section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,227 illustrates another example of a separable club. That patent describes two portions of a club having a threaded connector in which a threaded portion is adjacent to the open end. One disadvantage of this design is that the connector may become damaged due to improper assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,923 illustrates another example of a separable club. That patent describes two portions of a club having a threaded connector in which the shaft ends overlap when connected. One disadvantage of this design is that the club may be shortened due to the overlapping of the two shaft ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,659 describes an interchangeable shaft golf club in which the head is removable from the shaft. A disadvantage of such a design is that the golfer must still accommodate a relatively long shaft when transporting the club.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,404 describes a separable-shaft golf club. This patent describes hollow male and female connector members that connect first and second hollow shaft members together. Disadvantages of this design include the increased manufacturing costs associated with the hollowed components and the susceptibility of damaging the threaded components during assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,116 describes a separable-shaft golf club that uses a threaded connector to connect first and second shaft members together. In particular, the connector may be placed on the exterior of a graphite club shaft. Disadvantages of this design include the conspicuous connector located in a central portion of the shaft.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide apparatus and methods of allowing selective separation of a golf club to facilitate portability.
It further would be desirable to provide apparatus and methods of providing portability of numerous golf clubs while reducing the weight of the full or partial set of clubs.
It would be further desirable to provide apparatus and methods of connecting separable golf clubs that reduces the concentrated areas of stress between components of the system.
It still would be further desirable to provide apparatus and methods of converting single shaft golf clubs to golf clubs having separable shafts.